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thecrossingmods) wrote2025-01-31 07:21 am
SETTING #2 (ARCHIVED)
THE BASICS
After emerging from the choking darkness of The Cavern (see THE CLIFFS), the Desert is a bright, sprawling landscape of open sky and shifting sands.
The striated rocks of the cliffs and, in some cases, sections of the sand itself are reminiscent of colorful sand art, streaked with vibrant shades of pink, blue, purple — it seems all colors are represented.
There is a day and night cycle, but it has the impression of a dream, or story with poor continuity. The sun doesn't move predictably, shifting seemingly at random from night to afternoon to morning. The weather is just as unstable: clear, bright, hot days shifting suddenly to freezing nights or roiling lightning storms.
Thankfully, there is somewhere to rest and find shelter from the environment's temperamentality (see THE OASIS). But if you're willing to brave it instead, there's always more to find (see THE DUNES).
The Cavern's wide, black River may have finally dried up at the mouth of the cave you emerged from, but The River itself is eternal. It isn't gone; merely changed.
In its place is a salt flat that cuts along the Desert's western edge, from the base of the cliffs out beyond the dunes. It's just as wide, nearly a kilometer across, and sparkles white in the desert sun.
But be careful. The top layer of salts and minerals is just an outer shell; apply too much force, and you'll crack through to mud beneath. If you get stuck, it's best to hold still until help arrives — lest The River swallow you whole.
Anyone who sinks more than chest-height in the mud will be arrested by their body's memory of the moment of their death: be that pain, panic, relief, terror, or anything else, and all at once.
ARRIVAL
Characters whose journey begins in the Desert will awaken to find themselves, much like those who began in the Cavern, beneath the surface of The River.
The River is no river anymore, though. Characters will be fully encased in the mud beneath the salt flat, and must dig their way to the surface. Luckily, there's a host of souls here already who might be available to lend a hand — and so will The Ferryman, if the need so arises.
LOCATIONS
The conclusion of your Crossing trial led you through yet another cave, this one drier and warmer than the one you started in. It opens eventually onto a narrow plateau of cliffs overlooking the Desert, with clear views of The River to the west, the Oasis below, and the Dunes in the distance.
The rock is marked with deep striations, often in bright, vivid colors, like the swirls in the sand below. There are mouths of other caves dotting the cliff face, but none of them even come close to tunneling as deeply as the one you emerged from. Speaking of, which one did you come out of again? Is it even still there?
It's a rocky scramble down to the Oasis below. But you might want to keep an eye on the path you take; it could be worth coming back up here again, eventually.
At the base of the Cliffs, tucked into the mouth of the canyon before it gives way to the rolling dunes of the desert, is a small patch of verdant land surrounding a lake of fresh, clear water.
Much like the Subterranean City before it, the Oasis has clearly been built up by those who came before you. While the settlement might not be as expansive as the city before it, the shelters are cool, safe, and roomy enough for two or three souls to bunk together. They're familiar in how they're decorated, too, the same way the Subterranean City was.
But perhaps that's not all that's familiar here.
Beyond the Oasis, past the eroded tips of the Cliffs, is the rest of the sprawling, endless desert. These sand dunes, streaked with whorls of color, follow the path of The River as far as the eye can see, and further still.
There's something strange about the sand here, though. It kicks up in the blustering desert winds, and swirls into dusty clouds large enough to swallow and disorient anyone trying to make their way through. Even if you're trying to track landmarks on your journey, you may find yourself back at the edge of the Dunes — or perhaps somewhere else entirely.
Wraiths prowl here in great numbers. Maybe they're looking for something. Maybe that something is looking for you, too.
QUESTIONS